In news- Buddha Purnima, celebration of the birth of Gautama Buddha was observed.
About Buddha Purnima-
- The day is also known as Vaisakhi Buddha Purnima or Vesak.
- As per the Hindu calendar, Buddha Jayanti falls on a full moon day in the month of Vaisakh (which usually falls in April or May).
- As it is actually based on the Asian lunisolar calendar, the dates change every year.
- Buddha Jayanti, 2021 marked the Lord Buddha’s 2583rd birth anniversary.
- This day is commemorated by Buddhists and Hindus all over the world, and is a major festival in countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia and Sri Lanka (where it is called Vesak).
- The full moon in May is a more auspicious day for Buddhists because three major events in the life of the Buddha took place on this day.
- It was on the Day of Vesak, in the year 623 B.C, the Buddha-to-be, Prince Siddhattha was born at Lumbini Grove (modern day Nepal).
- Secondly, after six years of hardship, he attained enlightenment under the shade of the Bodhi tree and became Gotama Buddha at BodhGaya also on the full moon day of May.
- Thirdly, after 45 years of teaching the Truth, when he was eighty, at Kusinagara, he passed away to nibbana, the cessation of all desire, on the full moon day of May.
- The UN General Assembly, by its resolution 54/115 of 1999 recognized internationally the Day of Vesak to acknowledge the contribution of Buddhism to humanity.
- Though in Hinduism, Buddha is considered as the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu, Buddhists do not consider so.
Source: PIB
